As a kid I used to love playing in the waves. My favorite part was body surfing and snorkeling.

Surviving the tsunami in Thailand at the age of 13 put things in perspective for me. The ocean and the waves would never be my friends again. The ocean is evil and has more power of you than you will ever have. Every time I reach a coast, I still look for that white line at the horizon which is the next wave coming to get us.

In my twenties I discovered surfing as a great way to overcome my fear of waves and we are slowly starting to develop a friendship again.

This creative picture story was created in late fall of 2014, just in time for the 10-year anniversary of the tsunami. These pictures are all staged and a way for me to overcome my fear of water by re-creating memories that are stuck on my retina.